Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers released a Halloween-themed campaign video Saturday poking fun at Democratic rival Abdul El-Sayed, whose birthday falls on October 31, as the two compete in one of the midterms’ closely watched battleground races in Michigan.
In the video, Rogers appears with his wife at a rally and jokes about the timing of El-Sayed’s birthday before presenting a mock “gift basket” filled with items meant to reference past statements and controversies tied to the Democratic candidate.
Among the items Rogers pulls from the basket is a package of Dubai chocolate, a nod to questions Rogers has previously raised about El-Sayed’s family property holdings in Saudi Arabia. Rogers also referenced a video that circulated showing El-Sayed on a hot mic making disparaging remarks about Michigan’s Mackinac Island, joking that “he doesn’t like Mackinac fudge… or Mackinac.”
Other props included a toy Ford pickup truck, which Rogers said referenced comments from El-Sayed’s campaign suggesting pickup truck owners were associated with the KKK, and a football, which Rogers tied to past criticism from El-Sayed of football, including Michigan football, as emblematic of “toxic masculinity.”
“We’re hoping that he gains some appreciation for what we love right here in Michigan,” Rogers said while holding up the football during the video.
“On Halloween,” Rogers said with a shrug. “Okay. I didn’t say anything, I was just pointing out the date.”
The race between Rogers and El-Sayed is considered one of the more competitive Senate contests of the 2026 midterm cycle, with control of the Senate among the stakes as both parties fight for an edge heading into Election Day.
